PANEL TASTING Greek reds With a renewed focus on indigenous varieties and a move away from heavy oak, Greece is now producing a diverse range of accessible reds. Nico Manessis reports THE LANDSCAPE OF Greece is mostly mountainous, F.Y.R.O.M its vineyards consisting of small plots scattered across (Former Yugoslavian BULGARIA N the slopes. This means high-altitude viticulture, with Republic of Macedonia) sites ranging from 150m to 750m above sea level. 4 MACEDONIA There’s also an abundance of indigenous vines, with over Thessaloniki ALBANIA 150 red grapes – most of them hard to pronounce. 5 3 One name to look out for is Agiorgitiko, which makes TURKEY accessible, warm-fruited wines with a distinctive black cherry character. Produced in a range of styles from MAINLAND Greek Reds 6 7 SPORADES young and fruity to more structured, it’s the backbone of GREECE 1 Nemea 2 Cephalonia vineyards in Nemea in the Peloponnese. Also in the Aegean 3 Naousa Peloponnese, Mavrodaphne is enjoying a revival. IONIAN Sea 4 Goumenissa ISLANDS 5 Aminteo Originally from the Ionian island of Cephalonia and Gulf of Corinth GREECE 6 Siatista traditionally made in a sweet style, this grape offers 7 Rapsani 8 Paros Patras Athens complex aromatics with layers of velvety tannins. 2 9 Santorini In Central Greece winemakers are rediscovering 1 10 Rhodes Ionian 11 Crete Limniona, a source of light, fragrant reds that are in tune Sea CYCLADES with the current international trend for lighter styles. PELOPONNESE 8 In contrast, Mavrotragano makes compact reds with spice and leather notes. It’s another island grape (hailing from the Cyclades) that’s now finding its feet in Central 9 Greece and the northern mainland. DODECANESE 10 0 50 100 150 Xinomavro is a late-ripening speciality of Macedonia, Sea of Crete RHODES kilometres producing high-acid, tannic wines in regions such as Naousa, Goumenissa, Aminteo, Siatista and Rapsani. Mediterranean CRETE 11 It shows very fine aromatics – and some examples have Sea the potential to age for 20 years or more. Nelson Maggie Map: Away from the mainland in the islands, the grape to watch is Mandelari, found on Paros, Santorini, Rhodes Greek reds: and Crete. It makes tannic reds with a firm character, but Greek reds: know your the facts also blends brilliantly with Cretan specialty Liatiko vintages (usually produced in a sweet style) to make lighter- Vineyard area 66,820ha coloured, naturally luscious, bone-dry wines. 2017 Snow followed struggled. But the best White 73%, Red 27% by rain saw yields down wines by top producers Key red grapes Latest trends by 30% but gave one of will keep for another Agiorgitiko 3,500ha, Climate change has played a part in the renaissance of the finest vintages on two to four years. Mavrodaphne 2,500ha, these indigenous red grapes, which are often drought record. Wines are slow Xinomavro 1,500ha, resistant, signalling a move away from the popularity of to show their best. 2013 Healthy harvest Mandelari 800ha, Liatiko international varieties, formerly planted to help exports with some very good 260ha, Mavrotragano either as single-varietals or in blends with native grapes. 2016 Normal wines. Initially closed 50ha, Limniona 20ha In terms of winemaking, the introduction of whole- ripening season with no but now opening up. Source: VNB Nurseries 2015 ➢ bunch fermentation has been useful with highly tannic issues, giving a largely Keep for five years. grapes such as Xinomavro, resulting in wines with lower disease-free, healthy alcohol levels that are easier to drink, without harvest. Drink or keep. 2012 A mixed bag. compromising on flavour. Thankfully the Greek love Later-ripening, cool- affair with oak barriques has had its day, with most 2015 Challenging climate styles are best. progressive wineries now preferring large oak casks, year, when late-ripening Keep for up to four years. cement tanks or ceramic vessels. As this panel tasting grapes fared best. Keep shows, that particular trend needs to continue. for two to six years. 2011 A cool vintage of mostly awkward reds. Nico Manessis is an expert on the wines of his native 2014 Patchy vintage; A few ripe, elegant Greece and the author of three wine books. He is DWWA the late-ripening grapes wines. Drink now. Regional Chair for Greece and Cyprus DECANTER • August 2018 | 87 PANEL TASTING GREEK REDS ‘The trump card for Greek growers Another lacklustre region was Naoussa, where Xinomavro showed dull wines – not usually a trait of this The scores 88 wines tasted The results is their indigenous grapes and the late-ripening variety. ‘Tannin management is the issue,’ Lesser-known native varieties stole the limelight in this tasting, but Greece’s reds will variety of soils in their vineyards’ observed Terry Kandylis. Crete was also disappointing: Exceptional Kotsifali and Mandilaria grapes have both shown better 0 only match the quality of its whites if winemaking improves, says Nico Manessis results here in the past; even the rising star Liatiko was Outstanding Another head-turning Xinomavro came from a tiny not on the best form, confirming that even in regions 2 THIS VARIED TASTING across regions and grape their native island of Cephalonia, shows the potential of vineyard in cooler-climate Siatista. This region of blessed with excellent climatic conditions, vintage Entry criteria: producers Highly Recommended varieties proved to be a very mixed offering in terms of this grape, which is now also being cultivated on the and UK agents were invited western Macedonia has previously been a source of variations exist and are significant. quality. While there were several highlights, there were slopes of Aigialia on the north shore of the Peloponnese. to submit their latest great sweet wines, but is being re-energised thanks to its While there were flickers of excitement, no regional 15 release of two wines made Recommended disappointing performances from key regions and signs The second-highest scorer was a Limniona from an from indigenous Greek promising potential for making dry wines. styles emerged as such, proving that making top Greek of below-standard viticulture and winemaking, with area of Thessaly that’s better known for its Muscat and grapes, either as single It’s worth mentioning that not all flashpoints are to be reds is down to specific estates and rare grapes, with the 39 some dusty and tired wines that lacked energy and fruit. mass-produced Retsina. In essence this grape is Greece’s varietals or in a blend. No found on the mainland though. The Mavrotragano grape best-farmed sites shining through. Commended Perhaps not surprisingly, the top vineyard sites, often answer to Pinot Noir, though its rebirth story is all of 15 international grape shone on the island of Tinos, for example. In summary, this tasting showed that Greek red wine 23 with lesser-known grapes, stole the show – and years old. An interesting example of Limniona from varieties were accepted for Underperforming regions included Nemea, which has is now going through a period of soul-searching and this tasting Fair Mavrodaphne certainly made its mark. The top-scoring Thrace, aged in terracotta, also scored highly. the largest vineyard area in Greece and is predominantly growing-up. The trump card for Greek growers is their 8 Parparoussis Mavrodaphne is a textbook wine, with fine Good examples of the high-acid and long-lived planted with the fruity Agiorgitiko grape, marked by its distinctive indigenous grapes and a variety of altitudes Poor aromatics, ripe fruit, silky smooth tannins and deft use of variety Xinomavro came from Amyntaio in Macedonia – soft tannins. While it was eye-opening to see how well and soil types in their vineyards. But only if issues of oak. It also shows brilliant balance, which is a feat in the an impressive performance from an estate that is all of 12 the better-value examples of Agiorgitiko performed in viticulture and winemaking are addressed will the 1 difficult 2012 vintage. Similarly the Petrakopoulos years old – and Rapsani in Thessaly, showing that this this tasting, many Nemea wines were marred by ‘lack of potential for Greek red wines match the current Faulty Mavrodaphne, made from 100-year-old vines planted on under-revival region may have more surprises in store. oak balance’, according to Yiannis Karakasis MW. excellence of Greek white wines. 0 The judges Outstanding 95–97pts Terry Kandylis Yiannis Karakasis MW Nico Manessis After studying in Athenian-born Manessis is an expert Athens, Kandylis Karakasis attended on the wines of his moved to the UK and the Hellenic Naval native Greece and the has worked at The Fat Academy and has author of three wine Duck, The Ledbury 2,000 flying hours books. He teaches at and 67 Pall Mall with navy helicopters. the College of Crete Parparoussis, Taos, Achaia, Domaine Zafeirakis, Limniona, private members club. He retired as a and the Université du Peloponnese 2012 Tyrnavos, Thessaly 2015 95 TK 95 YK 95 NM 95 He earned the title of Commander in 2011 Vin, Suze la Rousse in Decanter average score: 96/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Best Sommelier in to pursue his passion France. He also £19.50-£21.25 Clark Foyster, Exel Terry Kandylis 96 Yiannis Karakasis 96 Nico Manessis 96 Greece in 2015 and was the UK Sommelier of for wine, becoming a Master of Wine in 2015. publishes www.greekwineworld.com and has A relatively new winery, set up in 2012 in the Tyrnavos region of the Year in 2016. He has passed the advanced He writes the blog www.karakasis.mw, consults recently co-produced an award-winning £36 Cava Spiliadis Thessaly in Central Greece. Christos Zafeirakis, head winemaker at the level of the Court of Master Sommeliers exam for TV wine show Gefseis & Oinos and wrote documentary, Pelican’s Watch about vineyards This small, family-run winery was founded in 1974 by Athanassios estate, is following in the local grape-growing tradition that was and is currently preparing for his MS Diploma.